Cultural Tourism in Hertfordshire

Economic Impact study and Visioning strategy brief

The opportunity for the work set out in this brief arises from practical discussions between Hertfordshire
Local Enterprise Partnership and Arts Council England around culture and inward investment in
Hertfordshire, and an introductory meeting both partners held with a number of key Hertfordshire cultural
organisations in late 2012.
The primary goal for the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is to promote steady and
sustained economic growth over the next two decades. One of Hertfordshire LEPs objectives is to secure
greater investment from business and government by improved promotion and advocacy activity. The
Hertfordshire LEP recognises that Hertfordshire needs to raise its profile in order to compete
internationally and secure investment, and identifies in its 2012/13 action plan the need to review the
current tourism offer, which includes cultural tourism: a key factor in how Hertfordshire can be advocated
for as a place to live and work. In addition, Hertfordshire cultural organisations can also potentially make
significant contributions to the full range of Hertfordshire LEP objectives - around innovation, skills and
employment and infrastructure.
It has been agreed that Watford Palace Theatre, as one of the leading cultural organisations in
Hertfordshire, will co-ordinate on behalf of Arts Council England and Hertfordshire LEP, a two part study as
set out below, with the work to be commissioned from and undertaken by one or two separate (subject to
submissions) third party consultants with significant experience and expertise in these areas.
1. Economic Impact study
An economic impact assessment of the Hertfordshire cultural sector and its potential for growth will be
undertaken. Economic impact assessments used in the cultural sector often consider direct impacts,
indirect impacts and induced impacts and recognise that many people visit a location as a result of the
draw of cultural organisations.
Objectives
To provide an assessment of the Hertfordshire cultural sectors current economic impact
To set a baseline and identify the potential for increasing the economic impact of Hertfordshires
cultural sector
To provide baseline evidence for making sector wide or consortium bids that would contribute to
the growth agenda, to relevant public sector or business partners
To develop knowledge and skills within cultural organisations about assessing economic impact and
provide them with tools to continue this analysis independently into the future
To provide cultural organisations, Arts Council England and Hertfordshire LEP with key facts and
data about the overall economic impact of cultural tourism in Hertfordshire and a robust advocacy
tool for helping to secure further investment
To provide cultural organisations with key facts and data about the economic impact of their own
organisations that can be used to help leverage additional investment
Outcomes
An economic impact study with aggregated results for the Hertfordshire cultural sector as a whole,
that includes a baseline and identifies the potential for growth
Separate results for an agreed number of key individual cultural organisations
Economic impact study training provision to Hertfordshire cultural sector organisations
Practical tools and guidance that Hertfordshire cultural sector organisations might continue to use
into the future in order to continue to assess economic impact

Project stages timeline to be agreed with consultant upon appointment

Advertise for consultant to undertake economic impact study

Introduce project to relevant cultural organisations in Hertfordshire
Appoint consultant
Consultant and Watford Palace Theatre meet to agree the approach to the economic impact
assessment
Group meeting of relevant cultural organisations (Arts Council England and Hertfordshire Local
Enterprise Partnership invited to attend) for consultant to introduce study
Cultural organisations sign up to study and are briefed on data to be supplied
Consultant meets an agreed number of individual cultural organisations to better understand their
organisations, support them in supplying the data required and to help assess potential for growth
Consultants undertake economic impact study
Group meeting of relevant cultural organisations (Arts Council England and Hertfordshire Local
Enterprise Partnership invited to attend) for consultant to present overall findings and draft report
Consultant publishes aggregated economic impact study report
Consultant meets individual cultural organisations to present and discuss their individual results
Final version of aggregated economic impact study report submitted to Arts Council England and
Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership

2. Visioning strategy
A galvanising visioning strategy, which would enable the cultural sector in Hertfordshire to work collectively
towards achieving greater impact and a higher profile high quality arts and cultural offer, will be produced.
Objectives
To identify with cultural organisations in Hertfordshire a distinctive and overarching narrative of
what the cultural tourism offer currently is
To agree imaginative and striking ways of effectively articulating that narrative to a range of
stakeholders
To identify with cultural organisations a collective vision of what the cultural tourism offer might
look like in the future and identify the steps that would need to be undertaken to reach this goal
To help develop a partnership of cultural organisations that are better equipped to work together
on making sector wide or consortium bids to public sector or business partners
To agree with those organisations a series of written introductions to potential bids that can be
utilised and further developed as funding opportunities become available
Outcomes
Workshop leading to consultant writing up a short document articulating a distinctive and
overarching narrative around the current cultural tourism offer in Hertfordshire
Workshop leading to a short report from consultant summarising next practical steps for
developing the collective vision of what the cultural tourism option might look like in the future
A more cohesive partnership of networked cultural organisations better able to develop thinking
and work together around the cultural tourism offer
Workshop leading to consultant writing series of opening introductions to potential funding bids
Project stages timeline to be agreed with consultant upon appointment

Advertise for consultant to lead visioning strategy

Introduce project to relevant cultural organisations in Hertfordshire
Appoint consultant
Consultant and Watford Palace Theatre meet to agree the approach to the visioning strategy
First workshop of relevant cultural organisations (Arts Council England and Hertfordshire Local
Enterprise Partnership invited to attend)

Second workshop of relevant cultural organisations (Arts Council England and Hertfordshire Local
Enterprise Partnership invited to attend)
Third workshop of relevant cultural organisations (Arts Council England and Hertfordshire Local
Enterprise Partnership invited to attend)
(NB: in between each workshop the consultant will begin writing up each of the outcomes as
identified above, but will not publish until the end of the project)
Consultant publishes visioning strategy comprising of elements as outlined in outcomes
Final version of visioning strategy submitted to Arts Council England and Hertfordshire Local
Enterprise Partnership

Budget
The overall budget available for this two party study is 15,000 in total (to include VAT if applicable).
Proposals
If you are interested in this opportunity, please email barry@watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk:

Confirming whether you are making a proposal for either the Economic Impact Study or Visioning
Strategy or both as a joint piece of work
A copy of your CV or company biography
A short note of how you would approach the study/studies and any comments on the objectives
and project stages as above
Details of current availability and other projects you're working on (noting we are seeking a quick
turn around on this work)
Proposed fees and expenses (either calculated on a daily basis with an assessment of number of
days required or as an overall fee)

Submissions will be reviewed on the afternoon of Friday 17 May and parties contacted then if further
questions. Given the short term nature of the opportunity, there are unlikely to be formal interviews.

Mathew Russell
Executive Director
Watford Palace Theatre
April 2013